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Twelve Tips for Getting Started in Counter Strike: Global Offensive

Don't get called a newb with these twelve helpful tips to get you started in CS:GO.

Counter Strike: Global Offensive is similar in many ways to Counter Strike Source and is a different shooter than the Battlefield / Call of Duty style games. Bullets are a lot more dangerous, the community is a lot different, and competitive play is number one. With lots of practice and a lot of work, you too can become a CS:GO Allstar, but before you get started check out these twelve tips to help you get started in CS:GO.

1. Do not negate the use of offline bots and the Weapons Course, which are critical to getting anywhere within the game. Offline bots can be programmed to various difficulty and let you practice aiming and basic strategy without the worry of someone calling you a newb. The Weapons Course operates on the same principle.

2. Avoid practicing on custom community servers outside of deathmatch. Much like all of Valve's products, the level of customization is high and there are specific servers that run a variety of mods that you won't encounter in competitive play and can teach bad habits. It's best to avoid non-Steam servers if you intend on becoming a professional or competitive player, except for Deathmatch in which community servers are often the best place to play (just check rulesets).

3. Learn how to properly spray, one of the most critical techniques in the game. Various weapons have a high rate of recoil and are poorly used for spraying bullets (shooting without specific aiming / scoping), however, when in close range and the enemy is in front of you, spraying bullets can be critical to your success.

4. Effective use of smoke is critical and should be coordinated with your team. You can use a smoke grenade in the wrong area, losing the match for your team, or you can use it apprioratily for the map and turn the tide of war. Work out smoke grenades before you queue.

5. Never solo queue, go in at least with a team of two, preferably a team of 5. You will meet a lot of different players on various servers, but it's critical to play with a team in order to hedge against bad players and griefers that you may get stuck again (bad in reference to trolls, more so than just newer players).

6. Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork. Don't do anything without your team, including buying items, throw grenades, or moving. If you don't have a mic / headset, invest in one.

7. Don't underestimate a single bullet. The reason why spraying is considered a reality in CS is that each bullet can pretty much take someone down. Two shots and most people are going to be at the respawn screen thinking of their purchases next round. Rifles or any bullet is far superior to any grenade or tactic, as long as they land in the enemy player. Most weapons will take one shot if they hit in the head/neck, and most heavy weapons will take one shot in the torso as well.

8. Don't go around a corner crouching, because you're just going to give yourself away. Instead stand up straight and dash around to see what's going on around there.

9. Unlike other shooters, things such as noise (moving around) matter a lot. Always be aware of location and the ability for the enemy to spot you. Lots of things make noise, like reloading. Weapon recoil is also another major difference.

10. Speaking of reloading, don't reload unless you have to. It makes a lot of noise and can lock you down for 4 seconds or more, which is an eternity in a CS match. Only reload when you're in a safe position and can afford the time to, in addition to obviously needing to.

11. Everyone is their own unique snowflake, don't subscribe to the "one true" playstyle. Work alongside your team and learn to the play the game in your own way. Even the pros aren't perfect, so being yourself is important in being good, because you'll never truly emulate someone else's playstyle to 100%.

12. Learn the maps, use the bots for this to avoid pain and then move on to community deathmatch. Learn the maps, learn where to throw grenades, learn where to put smoke, learn where the enemy can hide. Learn where you can hide. Learning the maps is the most critical tip I can give you, because it's the most important way to ever excel in CS: GO.

So there you have it, twelve helpful tips to getting started in CS:GO!

About The Author

Get in the bush with Xerin every week for his column, Respawn, as he analyzes the hottest trends, buzz topics, and absurdities in MMO gaming. With over 10 years of working in the MMO industry and experience with games, Xerin brings his experience to the table to provide interesting thought provoking articles and helpful guides to the MMO masses.